The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-07-30
20 ANIMALS REASON
How q Newfoundland Dog Outwitted =
Afisrhievous Monkey;


ffisrhievods Monkey;
Do animals reason' There are SO
many shades of belief upon this subject
that it is difficult one to decide. One
incident came under my notice that
showed plan. cunning and intelligent
action, certainly, if not reason as an
abstract element
Our ship was lying in Port Louis
harbor. For fear of hurricanes, we
were moored, stem and stern, to heavy
sunken anchors. Upon our port-side,
only few fathums away. was lofty
East India rice-ship, moored in the
same manner. A large number of pets
on board the rice-ship attracted our
attention-it seemed friendly me
nagerie.
Ny interest eentered upon a magnifi-
cent black Newfoundland dog and a
very large monkey. The monkeys
sole ambition seemed to be to torment
the dog by dropping things upon him
from above, or by jumping towards
him while trying to sleep, and then
scamrering away UP the rigging,
where the dog could not follow. No
place was safe for the dog to take a
nap. The monkey was only safe while
aloft. for the dog was the stronger,
and delighted in shaking the monkey
whenever he could get at him.
One very hot Sabbath afternoon /
was sitting under the awning. trying
to read; just opposite me, under the
shadow of the poop-deck of the rice
ship, lay the Newfoundland dog,
stretched out in the most complete and
utter abandonment of exhaustion. APP
parently fast asleep. The monkey was
upon the top of the forward house. evil
IDENTITY studying some mischief. When
a man is studying some difficult matter
he will some times scratch his head.
The monkey scratched himself all over,
it taking more counter-irritant, per-
haps. to elaborate his plan. became
interested in watching the develop
ment Of his scheme.
He soon jumped down from the
house and sauntered aft towards the
| dog, who took no notice whatever of
him. He passed close to the dog and
climbed up to the poop-deck, sitting
down just over the dog. and began a
great chattering.
The dog was deaf to all this, so the
monkey jumped down upon the deck
and began to "hunt for bone" plan
that never failed to interest the dog
but now he did not move. thought
the dog was sound asleep, the monkey
very evidently thought so, too, for now
he proceeded to put into execution q
plan that, think, he matured when
sitting on the forward house. He qui
city ran forward to the fore rigging
and up to fore-top, then taking the
main-top-gallant stay he ran up that tc
the main-top-gallant yard, then down
to the main-top; after again making
sure that the dog was fast asleep h,
ran up to the mizzen-top-gallant stay
and then down to the mizzen-top; here
he sat down and, apparently, had a
hearty laugh at the trick he was abou,
to play upon the dog. Having enjoyed
his laugh, he very cautiously ran down
the mizzen stay, until he reached {
point just over the dog, but some
twenty feet above him. Once more h,
proceeded to try the dog; not muscl,
moved. The monkey jumped up ant
down, hung down, holding on with one
hand only, but no movement of tn,
dog showed itself. So, getting himself
together, he measured, carefully, the
distance and position. and then let q
and jumped for the dog.
Instantly all was changed on deck
the dog sprang up with ears and tai
erect, wide awake. and ready to give
him cordial welcome. OF course, i
was like flash of lightning. TIL,
monkey saw what scrape he was in
his screams and cries were pitiful; h,
would have gladly stopped and jumped
back, but the laws of gravity were
against him, and down he came ont.
the dog. Then began the sharpes
fight ever saw. They were event,
matched, but the monkey was so fright
ened that he could not make so good
fight as usual.
Round and round they went, Will,
the hair flew everywhere; at last, get
ting chance he sprang into the mail
rigging and ran up to the royal yard
crying all the way. Here he stayet
two or three days, nursing his wounds
and evidently trying to understand
why his plan failed. The dog barked
and, in spite of the heat, ran up ant
down the deck with every show of de
light at having out-witted the monkey
think now, as | thought then, tina
4 the dog was not asleep, but too nearl,
exhausted by the heat to care what tn
monkey did, so long as he kept out o
reach; but when he had gone SO fa
that he could not get back he wa
ready to receive him.-Cor. Goldei
RNLe